Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Tanner
“Dude, you look like you’re two seconds from hurling.
” Luke’s voice carried through the speaker of my Range Rover as I drove through the winding streets of downtown Hope Valley.
I was heading to pick Holly up for our date and I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t feeling all kinds of nervous.
Hell, I didn’t even get nervous before games anymore, but that ray of sunshine, at least a foot shorter than me, had my stomach tangled in knots.
“Shut up, dick. I’m not gonna hurl.” I didn’t think.
My friend’s grating laugh beat against my eardrums and set my teeth on edge. “I can’t believe you asked a woman out. I thought you said you were taking a break after . . . what was her name?”
“Sandra, and I did. But there’s something about this woman,” I admitted. “I don’t know what it is, but you should have seen me when I was in her store yesterday. I was following her around like a lost puppy.”
“Damn, brother. That woman must have had game.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I recalled our interaction. “Actually, no. She was nervous and awkward. It was like she kept trying to melt into the wallpaper.”
“Did she know who you are?”
“Yeah, but she didn’t seem to care. I had to keep the conversation going just to keep her from walking away.”
“Uh, buddy . . . are you sure this woman’s interested?”
“Fuck off.” I let out a chuckle. From the outside I could understand why it might seem like she wasn’t interested, but I knew in my gut that wasn’t the case.
“I’m just messing with you, man,” Luke said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m happy you’re getting out there again. Can’t let a few bad experiences ruin everything.”
I wouldn’t consider what I’d dealt with in the past a few bad experiences.
The number of opportunists was astounding.
But I also knew it was what I was signing up for when I decided I wanted to be a hockey player.
I was in the public eye, and my salary was plastered all over the internet.
Gold diggers and users came with the territory.
That was something I’d had to learn the hard way.
“Yeah, you’re right. And this girl . . . I don’t know how to explain it, man. There’s just something about her.”
“Sounds like you’re really enjoying your time off. Glad for that, Tan. You needed a reset.”
He was right. I needed this break. Some time away.
I would have preferred it wouldn’t have taken getting injured, but I could finally see the silver lining of the situation.
The only thing putting a damper on this time away was the fact that I still didn’t have a fucking clue what my future held.
I was still dragging my feet on making the biggest decision of my life, much to my agent’s dismay.
But that was a problem for another time.
“Anyway, I’m almost at her place, so I’ll talk to you later. ”
“All right, brother. Don’t forget to suit up. You know the rules, no glove, no love.”
“Christ, you’re an asshole,” I said on a chuckle. “How you landed a ten like Lorna is beyond me.”
“Brainwashing. But in all seriousness, enjoy yourself, man. You’ve earned it.”
“Will do. Give Lorna and the kids my love. Talk soon.”
I hit the button on my steering wheel, disconnecting the call as I pulled up to One More Chapter.
The sensation in my stomach reminded me of the way I felt every time I rode a roller coaster.
Closing my eyes, I went through the series of breathing exercises I did every time I stood in front of my net.
In a matter of seconds, I felt the familiar calm wash over me, and with a smile and a determined set to my chin, I killed the engine and climbed out of my car.
It was time for another hit of sunshine.
I rounded the building like she’d instructed when we’d texted earlier, finding the buzzer panel beside the only door at the back of the building. I pushed the button and a second later, Holly’s melodious voice carried through the speaker.
“Hello?”
“It’s Tanner.”
“Hi,” she chirped, the sound of her voice making me smile. “Come on up.”
At the buzz, I grabbed the knob and pulled the door open. There was a stairwell directly in front of me and against the wall to my right, and a short hall on the left that must have led into the bookstore from the back.
I had to make a conscious effort to go slow and not rush up the steps two at a time. Blowing a breath through pursed lips, I lifted my hand and knocked, and the instant the door opened, I nearly swallowed my tongue.
“Wow.” It was the only thing I could say, because I couldn’t think of a word to accurately describe how beautiful she truly was. “You look . . . just, wow.”
That flush returned to her cheeks, and the sight of it was enough my make my dick twitch behind my fly.
But when she smiled at me, there was no stopping the damn thing from going fully hard.
I had about as much control over the thing as I did back when I’d been a teenager scoping out my first nudie mag.
“Thank you,” she said in a low, genuine voice. “You look really nice too. I mean, more than nice. You look handsome.” She clamped her mouth shut, her nostrils flaring with a deep inhale. “You look very wow too.”
Christ, she was really something else, and it was taking everything I had to keep from kissing her right then and there.
Holiday
I couldn’t seem to stop making a fool of myself where this man was concerned, but just looking at him left me frazzled and nervous. He was just So. Damn. Sexy! And the megawatt smile he was wearing just then sent a shiver through my entire body.
Handsome didn’t even cover it. The man quite literally made my heart skip a beat.
I thought I knew what tall was, growing up with brothers that towered over me, but even they had nothing on the six-and-a-half-foot goalie.
And it wasn’t only his height that was impressive.
He was just so big. The power in a frame like his should have been intimidating, and honestly, maybe even a little scary.
But something in his eyes put me at ease.
I might not have been the best judge of character, but I couldn’t imagine a man hiding a shitty side would have such warm, kind eyes.
Staring into Tanner’s smile, a lightbulb flicked on inside my brain for the first time, and I quickly realized Blane’s eyes never held that kind of reassurance, and maybe I’d been purposely ignoring signs that had been there from the very beginning.
Maybe Sunny was right, and I’d only wanted to see the best in the men from my past instead of what was right in front of me.
The sharpness of his cheekbones, his prominent square jaw, and a masculine nose that had clearly been broken and reset—more than once, if I had to guess—should only have added to his formidable presence.
I was willing to bet the men he faced on the ice pissed themselves, but the only vibes I felt from him were soothing.
“And who’s this little guy?” Tanner’s deep, rich voice broke through my rapid-fire thoughts, and when I blinked back into reality, he was crouched at my feet, one large finger scratching Yoda beneath his chin.
That was all it took to make my little man fall in love. Yoda was more like a dog than a cat, willing to give his loyalty and affection for life just for some pets.
I bent and scooped the cat into my arms, rising to my full height so Tanner didn’t have to remain crouched down. “Oh, this is Yoda. He’s my little man.”
The cat purred like the engine of a Harley as he received pets from both of us at the same time. “Wow, he’s really sweet for a cat.”
I lifted a beaming smile to Tanner. “I know. That’s why I got him. It’s the breed. They’re known for being really affectionate.”
To prove my point, Yoda let out his quiet little mewl, like he was trying to communicate, making Tanner laugh. “Okay, he’s really cute. And the name fits him perfectly.”
“Thanks. And I agree.” I gave Yoda one last squeeze before putting him back on his own feet so he could head back into my apartment.
I pulled the door shut behind me, taking a moment to lock it even though you couldn’t get into the building without the digital combination on the front and back exterior doors.
“You think he’ll be okay by himself for a while?
” Tanner asked, his brow tugged together with concern as he stared at the door I’d just shut.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. He’ll curl up on one of the pillows on my bed and be asleep in no time.”
He returned that deep amber gaze to me, making my insides melt a little. “If you say he’s good, I trust you. So . . . you ready?” he asked, extending his hand to me.
Butterflies took flight in my stomach, but I pushed the sensation away and placed my palm against his, letting him wrap his massive hand around mine. “I am.”
Sure, I still felt like I was out of my depth here, but seeing how he was with my cat worked wonders in untangling my frayed nerves a bit.
I always believed a good indication of a person’s character was how they treated animals.
Blane, for instance, couldn’t have been bothered to show Yoda an ounce of attention the few times he was around him.
More often than not, he’d request I stay the night at his place instead of coming over to mine because he couldn’t stand my “cat’s constant need for attention”.
I should have dumped his ass right then and there.
Walking down my steps and out of the building hand-in-hand with Tanner Fine was surreal.
Not because he was a famous athlete, but because I couldn’t remember the last time I’d held hands with a man like this.
Despite the casual way he’d gone about doing it, there was an intimacy in the act itself, and warmth bloomed inside my chest as he led me around the building toward the street.
“It gets quiet pretty early around here, huh?” he asked as we closed in on the expensive SUV parked in front of my bookstore.
The sun was almost finished with its decent behind the mountains, painting the sky in smudges of dark blues and deep purples.
“On this block, but it’s not like we turn into a ghost town once the sun goes down.
The Tap Room isn’t far from here, and there are a few restaurants nearby that stay open late. That’s where the crowds will be.”
“That’s good to know for the future.” He pressed his thumb to the passenger door handle and the car beeped as the locks disengaged.
He pulled the door open and placed his hand on the small of my back to help me up.
As soon as he closed the door, I pulled in a huge breath.
The interior of the car smelled just like him.
Like laundry right out of the dryer, or how it smells outside after it rains.
It was fresh and clean and completely intoxicating.
“I hope you’re hungry,” he said as he climbed behind the wheel and pulled his seatbelt on.
My stomach chose that very moment to let out a very loud rumble. “I think it’s safe to say I am. Now that the date has finally arrived, will you tell me where we’re going?”
Bracing his forearm on the steering wheel, he twisted in his seat to face me, and I could have sworn he looked a bit uncertain.
“I remembered how you said the days could get long for you, running the bookstore and everything. I figured that maybe you’d prefer to have a nice, relaxing night, so I thought I’d take you back to the place I’m renting and cook for you.
” His lips stretched into a wince. “But thinking about it now, and the fact that you hardly know me, I can see that might not have been the best idea; you might want something more public. At least until you’re comfortable with me. ”
A pang of something hot and exhilarating ricochetted through me, reminding me it had been a really long time since I’d felt drawn to a man in any sort of way besides platonic.
Not only did he remember I’d mentioned how work could tire me out, but he’d actually prepared for it, wanting to ensure I was able to fully enjoy myself.
I couldn’t remember the last time anyone besides my siblings or closest friends had taken my comfort into consideration.
“Tanner, that’s incredibly thoughtful, and really sweet.
” I reached across the center console, placing my hand on his arm and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“And actually, a night in sounds perfect. Given you can actually cook and won’t give me food poisoning or anything,” I tacked on with an arched brow.
After those text conversations, I’d started to realize he was pretty easy to talk to, and the longer I spent in his company the more that point was driven home. My nerves were slowly melting away.
He hit me with a megawatt grin, knocking the air right out of my lungs. “Don’t worry, Sunshine. I know my way around a kitchen.”
Why the hell was hearing him say that so damn sexy?